Child Abuse Prevention Month — Part 4: Education a priority for CAC

Many Horizon and Camdenton High School students are sent to the Camden County Child Advocacy Council Thrift Store to work during ASP (Alternate Suspension Program).

Rhonda Wilkening

Many Horizon and Camdenton High School students are sent to the Camden County Child Advocacy Council Thrift Store to work during ASP (Alternate Suspension Program). CCCAC members and volunteers talk and listen to the students, trying to offer a pleasant and meaningful environment. One young man who was a senior in high school had a girlfriend and a baby. He told us he would be attending college because his father had set up a trust fund for him, but his girlfriend would not be going on to school. From that scenario, the the scholarship fund was established.

CCCAC scholarships benefit students who attended Horizon School or special needs students to whom few scholarships are ever offered. 2013 marks the second year that CCCAC will award scholarships to all school districts of Camden County. Upon the recommendation of high school guidance counselors, scholarship applications may be made to CCCAC with a required short essay of the student's choosing.

The CCCAC Scholarship Committee meets and reads all essays and this year has awarded students of Camdenton, Macks Creek, Stoutland and Climax Springs with a total of twelve scholarships in the amount of $500 each. Students are required to pick up their scholarship check in person once they can verify their registration in college or trade school.

CCCAC has always participated in past Back to School Fairs by providing a $10 voucher for parents to purchase one pack of socks and one pack of underwear at selected Walmart stores. The sock and underwear program started about ten years ago when a child who was receiving a grant to attend a summer camp was hesitant on attending because his socks had holes in them and his underwear was dirty but his parents couldn't afford new ones.

In 2010, a total of about $4,000 was spent on the socks and underwear program and helped 360 children. CCCAC was contacted by Missouri Ozarks Community Action, Inc. (MOCA) in 2011 and was told that they had lost their state funding that allowed them to sponsor the annual Back to School Fairs for Camden County. Knowing that this was a much needed program for children in the county, the council voted to take over the Back to School Fair and would also still provide the voucher for socks and underwear. For the two years that CCCAC has sponsored the Back to School Fair, there has been an increase of families needing assistance with supplies based on the slow economy and family members losing their jobs. In 2012, 593 children attended the fairs and a total of $8,500 was spent on supplies, socks and underwear.

At the end of July, CCCAC holds a community school supply collection day at Orscheln Farm and Home in Camdenton and is hosted live on the radio by KC & The Roundman of 107.9 The Coyote. Supplies that are collected on this day along with donations of supplies dropped off at the Thrift Store and also from monetary donations received help in providing the necessary items for the Back to School Fair which is set up at the middle school of Camdenton School District the first week of August.

Parents or guardian must have their child with them in order to sign up for assistance on the day of the fair. During the fair parents and children visit booths that have been set up by area businesses, fire departments, health officials and school organizations that are there to provide the students and families with more information about themselves and resources for assistance if needed. After visiting each booth the students receive school supplies based on their grade level. While not all supplies on their school supply list is able to be given at the fair, students receive what is necessary to have a good start to a new school year. For more information about the Back to School Fair, contact Rhonda Wilkening, Back to School Chairman at 573-348-5022 or 314-873-3531.

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